Page "The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual" Paragraph 29

Holmes then put everything together for his rather shocked client.

Brunton had deduced the ritual's meaning, at least insofar as it led to something valuable.

He had determined the elm tree's height by asking his master, had paced out the instructions — and Holmes had later even found a peg hole in the lawn made by Brunton — had found the hiding place in the old cellar, but then had found it impossible to lift the stone slab himself.

So, he had been forced to draw someone else into his treasure hunt.

He had unwisely chosen Rachel Howells, who hated him.

The two of them could have lifted the slab up, but they would have needed to support it while Brunton climbed down to fetch the treasure.

Did Rachel deliberately kick the support away, sealing Brunton in, thus murdering him?

Or did the slab fall by itself and she was only guilty of not getting help to her unfaithful lover?

It explained a great deal about her subsequent behaviour.